Concrete mixer and conveyer



Oct. 30, 1928. 1,689,963

B. H. PELTON CONCRETE MIXER AND CONVEYER Filed May 4, 1926 INVENTOR.BENJAMIN r1. PELTON ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED .STATES.

. 1,689,963 PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN H. PELTON, 0F CARLSIBAD, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO B. H.PELTON,.JR., 0F

\ CASPER, WYOMING.

CONCRETE MIXER AND CONVEYER.

Application filed May 4,

My invention relates to a concrete mixer and conveyer adapted to be usedfor conveying concrete in the construction of large concrete structures,such as buildings, bridges, or structures where concrete is to beconveyed a considerable distance.

Heretofore in the construction of concrete buildings, bridges and thelike, the concrete v for the construction was mixed at or conveyed byelevator to a central point and distributed from the central point bydump trucks or by tubular conveyers or chutes. The use of ordinarytubular conveyors or open chutes has been found ineffective andimpractical in that the finer and coarser aggregates separatefrom eachother and from the thin concrete, making an uneven pour 1n the concretestructure, often to the extent of considerably weakening the structureat certain portions.

The objects of my invention are: first, to provide means wherebyconcrete is received from the mixer or elevator and conveyed to thedesired point and continually mixed.

when being conveyed; second, to provide a positive tubular conveyerwhereby concrete or other materials may be conveyed from a central pointto any position desired and in any reasonable direction, eitherdownwardly, on a level, or upwardly from its central point ofdistribution or supply, or to the side thereof; third, to provide asectional positive conveyer which may be made in any length desired andeasily directed to the point desired; fourth, to provide novellyconstructed positive conveyer extension sections; fifth, to provide anovel means for operatively connecting the conveyer screws of theconveyer sections with each other; sixth, to provide novel means foreffectively coupling the conductor portions of the conveyer sections;seventh, to provide a conveyer of this class which may be operated at arelatively slow speed for conveying material thereto and also at arelatively high .speed for flushing the conveyer; eight-h, to provide asa whole a novelly constructed mixer and conveyer of this class, andninth, to provide means of this class which is simple and economical ofconstruction proportionate to its functions, durable, efficient, andwhich. will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will a pear hereinafter, myinvention consists of certain novel features of construction,

1926. Serial No. 106,616.

combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will behereinafterdescribed in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the charactersof reference thereon, which form a part ofthis application, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my mixer and conveyerin one form of construction, showing its relation with a concrete mixerand showing certain parts and portions of the conveyer broken away andin section to facilitate the illustration; Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary sectional elevational view, showing the connection or jointbetween two sections of the conveyer; Fig. 3 is an end view of one ofthe conveyer sections, taken at 33 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is afragmentary View in plan, showing the drive and gear shifting means.

Like characters of reference refer to similar parts and portionsthroughout the several views of the drawings.

The one or normally stationary end of my concrete mixer and conveyer ismounted on a platform 1, which is preferably in the form of a portableplatform or truck. On and above the platform or truck 1 is mountedanother, shiftable platform 2, the one end of which is pivoted on theplatform 1, as indicated by 3 in Fig. 1. The opposite end of theplatform 2 is vertically adjustable by means of-a screw or screws 4, thelower end or ends of which is pivoted on the platform 1. The screw 4extends through the threaded member 5, which is pivoted on a horizontalaxis on brackets 6.

On the platform 2 is mounted the power plant 7 which may be in the formof an internal combustion engine. On the platform 2 is also mounted apair of brackets 8, at the upper ends of which is supported the conveyerdrum or casing 9. In this drum or casing is revolubly mounted a conveyerscrew 10, the one end of the shaft 10 of which is revolubly mounted inthe head 9 of the casing, and the opposite end of which is revolublymounted in the journal portion of the inwardly ofi'set bracket 11, whichis in the form of a spider having three legs supported by the wall atthe open end of the casing 9, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. On the end ofthe shaft 1O extending beyond the head 9 are provided drive-gears 12 and13, which are adapted to be driven respectively by drive-gears 14 and15. The latter gears are mounted on a sleeve 16, which is shiftablymounted on the shaft 7 of the engine 7. The sleeve 16 is adapted to beshifted on the shaft 7 by means of a gear shift lever 17 For normaloperation of the mechanism, that is, when materials are desired to beconveyed thereby, the lever 17 is shifted to the solid line position,shown in Fig. 4, which connects the drive-gear 14 with the gear 12.

At the upper portion of the casing or drum 9 is provided an upwardlyflaring chute or spout 18 for receiving concrete from the chute 19 ofthe concrete mixer 20. Concrete, however, may be discharged into thechute 18 from an elevator, if desired. The one end of the conveyercasing 9, or the portion of the casing around the chute 18, is raisedfrom the upper portion of the conveyer screw 10, as indicated by 9 inFig. 1, so that large stones or other aggregates will not be crushed orammed between the upper portion of the conveyer screw and the casing.The opposite end of the casing 9 from the head 9 is circular, as shownin Fig. 3.

The open or discharge end of the conveyer casing 9 may be extended toany desired length by the conveyer tube sections 21. One end of the tubesections 21 are flared outwardly, as indicated by 21. These outwardlyflared portions 21 receive the open ends of the adjacently positionedconveyer sections. Said tubes or sections are secured together at theiradjacent ends by means of bolts 22, there being preferably three innumber. These bolts extend through lugs 23 near the ends of the tubes orsections. The holes in these lugs are preferably tapered from theiropposite sides, or the same may be merely enlarged, to receive the bolts22 when positioned at various angles. The opposite sides of the lugs 23are rounded to provide even bearing surfaces for the bolt-heads andnuts, as shown best in Fig. 2. The tubes or tube sections may be coupledtogether in a straight line or at slight angles, as shown in thedrawings, the practical maximum of these angles being between ten andfifteen degrees. The outwardly flared portion at one end of the tubesand a beveled portion at the adjacent end of the adj acently positionedtube provide a relatively close joint between the two sections or tubesof the connected conveyer sections. Slight openings between theconnected ends of two tubes may be readily closed by tightly takin upthe bolts 22, the adjacent ends of the tu es being slightly distorted bysuch takeup to provide a reasonably close joint.

At the o posite ends of the tube sections 22 are secure inwardly offsetspider brackets 11, similar in construction to the one previouslyreferred to. In these brackets 11 are revolubly mounted the oppositeends of the shaft 24 of the conveyer screw 24. To the opposite ends ofthe shafts 24 of the conveyer screw, as well as to the end of the shaft10 extending through the brackets 11, are secured transuniversal jointmember 26 having lug portions 26 at its opposite ends and positioned atright angles to each other. These lug por tions 26 extend into thetransverse slots or grooves of the universal joint members 25, as

shown best in Fig. 2. The spider brackets 11 are offset inwardly toprovide space for the universal joint members 25; the ends of the armsof the brackets 11 being secured as near the ends of the tubes of theconveyer sections as possible to provide a maximum space for the bladesor conveyer portions of the conveyer screws. The conveyer portions ofthe conveyer screws near the open ends of the tubes are cut out at theirhub portions, as indicated by 10 and 24" in Fig. 2, to clear the journalportions of the brackets 11 and to permit the outer portions of theconveyer screws to extend as far as possible toward the end of thetubes. Said cut out portions of the conveyer screws are preferablyreinforced at their back sides by reinforcing members 27, as shown inFigs. 2 and 3.

The several sections of the sectional conveyer may be supported frombelow on suitable structures or suspended from above by means of cables28, shown in Fig. 1.

When desiring to flush the conveyer for cleaning the same, the lever 17is shifted to the dotted line position, which connects the gears 13 and15, permitting the conveyer screws to be rotated at greater speeds.

It will be here noted that although my mixer and conveyer isparticularly adapted for conveying concrete and simultaneously mixingthe same, the same may be adapted for conveying many other classes ofmaterials, and though I have shown and described a particularconstruction, combination and arran ement of parts and portions, I donot wis to be limited to this particular construction, combination andarrangement, but desire to include in the scope of my invention, theconstruction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a means of the class described, a pair of conveyer casings adaptedto be connected at various angles at one of their ends, inwardly offsetspider brackets mounted within and at the adjacent ends of said casings,conveyer screws revolubly mounted at one of their ends in said brackets,and universal joint means connecting the adjacent ends of said conveyerscrews between the offset portions of said brackets.

2. In a means of the class described, a pair of conveyer casings adaptedto be connected HIH at various angles at one of their ends, inwardlyofiset spider brackets mounted within and at the adj acent' ends of saidcasings, conveyer screws revolubly mounted at one of their ends in saidbrackets, and universal joint means connectin the adjacent ends of saidconveyer screws etween the ofiset portions of said brackets, theadjacent ends of said conveyer screws extending outwardly beyond theinwardly ofi'set portions of said brackets.

' 3. In a means of the clam described, a conveyer casing having an openended cylindrical portion, another 0 en ended cylindrical conveyercasing slightfy funneled at one end, said funneled portion positionedover the cylindrical end portion of said first mentioned casing, meansfor rigidly securing said conveyer casings together at various angles,conveyer screws revolubly mounted in said casings, and flexible meansconnecting said .conveyer screws.

4. In a means of the class described, a conveyer casing having an openended cylindrical portion, another open ended cylindrical conveyercasing slightly funneled at one end, said funneled portion ositioned.over the cylindrical end portion oi? said first mentioned casing, meansfor rigidly securing said conveyer casings together at various angles,conveyer screws revolubly mounted in said casing, and universal ointmeans connecting the adjacent ends of said conveyer screws.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at arlsbad, California,this 23rd day of April, 1926.

BENJAMIN H. PELTOH.

